DIY mini kitchen pod for Beach (sits on storage box)

[LemonDrop]

We've been trying to work out for ages the best solution for easy tea making (maybe some sandwiches if we're travelling a long way) inside the beach if the weather's bad. We were hoping for something that could incorporate the stove and hold tea/coffee/sugar/mugs etc. so it was all easily accessible. We wanted something that could easily be lifted out of the van once arriving at a campsite and used in situ.

Finally - this is what we've come up with, well I say we; apart from the ideas part this is all Mr Lemondrop's work. We haven't worked out how to secure it yet but the plan is to order the pieces and for Mr Lemondrop to make it up and then cross that bridge at that point.

We thought others might like to use the design (if it all works out that is!!) Are there any glaring errors with this design that anyone can see? Currently at cardboard mock-up stage...

 

[OGII]

We've been trying to work out for ages the best solution for easy tea making (maybe some sandwiches if we're travelling a long way) inside the beach if the weather's bad. We were hoping for something that could incorporate the stove and hold tea/coffee/sugar/mugs etc. so it was all easily accessible. We wanted something that could easily be lifted out of the van once arriving at a campsite and used in situ.

Finally - this is what we've come up with, well I say we; apart from the ideas part this is all Mr Lemondrop's work. We haven't worked out how to secure it yet but the plan is to order the pieces and for Mr Lemondrop to make it up and then cross that bridge at that point.

We thought others might like to use the design (if it all works out that is!!) Are there any glaring errors with this design that anyone can see? Currently at cardboard mock-up stage...

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I'd lower the unit slightly so the table can still be used with it in place.

 

[LemonDrop]

@OGII will look at that, thanks.

 

[OGII]

Another possible solution. Rather than an Ikea Alex chest of drawers we found the Helmer fitted the 2 seat Beach well.

It's cheaper at £29, and smaller/ lighter than the Alex which we felt was too big. Made from sheet metal so less volume lost compared with an MDF unit. Choice of colours but the black suited our van best.

I found a £5 Ikea chopping board is a near perfect fit to top it off, gives it a more kitchen unit look and feel. It over hangs the unit at the front and back slightly, making it easier to lift the unit in/out. We've rivited a storage net onto the side. We leave it a few inches out from the van side so easy to access plugs/ storage behind.

The 6 drawers aren't very deep, so I've hacked the bottom one so it has 2 draw fronts on top of each other making a double height drawer behind. This takes saucepans etc.

Top one has a cutelry divider thing, then the next ones have cups, plates, etc. We use one of the sometimes maligned canister stoves which fits in the gap between unit and passenger seat, a spare gas canister fits in a drawer, another has tea, coffee, snacks etc.

It makes finding cutelry , torch, small odds and sods very easy.

As for the bench...Still working on ways to improve it. May hinge it along rear and make some lift in/out dividers so can make better use of the bench.

 

[LemonDrop]

That looks ace. We were looking at the Alex option previously, I like that yours is a slightly more petite option... but we need to keep our fridge there (for festivals etc) so settled on some sort of solution that goes on the storage box. I'll update on progress in due course...